Horse-detacher.



E. E. SANDERS.

HORSE DETAOHER.

, APPLICATION 1 11.31) MAY 9, 1908. 91 2,032.

P 0 W mm id H mm. WW 2 w 2 mm N K R5 co, WASHINGTON, 0. c4

E. E. SANDERS.

HORSE DETAGHER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1908.

-Patented Feb. 9, 1909,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1 7. flaizde ys rus NORRIS PETERS co., wAsHmqTou, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

EARL E. SANDERS, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS.

HORSE-DETAOHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL E. SANDERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Freeport, county of Stephenson, and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Detachers, ofwhich the following is a specification. I

Fly invention relates to horse detachers, and the object of my inventionis to provide a horse detacher which may be readily and quickly operatedto instantly release the horse from a wagon or carriage in the event ofa runaway.

A further object of my invention, is to provide a device of thecharacter mentioned, which shall be of simple construction, inexpensiveto manufacture and one which will not readily get out of order.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide a device as mentioned,of such construction as to facilitate hitching and unhitching the horse.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view my invention consists generally in aswingle-tree having straight pins extending from the ends there of toreceive the trace tugs, a pair of rods slidably mounted on saidswingle-tree and having their ends turned and perforated to engage saidpins between the ends of the swingle-tree and the trace tugs, springsadapted to move said rods outwardly to shove the trace from the pins,means for normally holding the rods in retracted position against thetension of the springs and manually operated means for releasing thesame.

My invention further consists in a device characterized as mentioned andprovided with means, preferably arranged upon the outer ends of saidrods to prevent accidental displacement of the tugs from the pins, saidmeans being movable independently of the rods to permit the tugs to bereadily attached to or removed from the pins.

My invention further consists in certain novel means for preventingaccidental operation of the releasing mechanism and in novel means forattaching the hold-back strap and belly band to the shafts.

My invention further consists in various details of construction andarrangements of parts all as will be hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 9, 1908.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

Serial No. 431,838.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and inwhich,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the shafts and harnessequipped with a horse detacher embodying my invention in its preferredform, Fig. 2 is an elevation of the swingle-tree, Fig. 3 is a detailhorizontal section of the rod releasing the actuating mechanism, Fig. 1is a detail view of one of the releasing slides, and Figs. 5 and 6 aredetail views of one end of the swingle-tree illustrating the parts indifferent positions.

Referring now to the drawings, 11 indicate the shafts'of a wagon, 2 thedashboard and 3 the swingle-tree. Extending from each end of theswingle-tree and in axial alinement therewith is a straight pin 4: toreceive the eye of the trace 5, and suitable means are provided forshoving the trace from the pin when desired. This comprises a pair ofrods slidably mounted on the sWingle-tree and having their ends turnedor bent and perforated to engage the pins between the ends of theswingle-tree and the trace pins. These are equipped with means forshoving them outwardly when desired to push the trace from itsrespective pin.

66 indicate the rods which are slidably mounted in sleeves 7 fixedlongitudinally to the swingle-tree and preferably upon the upper facethereof. The outer end of each rod is turned at substantially rightangles and perforated, forming an eye or loop 8 to engage the pin l, 9indicating the perforation or aperture to receive the pin. Fixedsubstantially centrally on the swingle-tree is a boxing or housing 10into which, the inner ends of the rod 6 extend. Within the housing arearranged the springs for shoving the rods outwardly, and means fornormally holding the rods in retracted position against the tension ofthe springs. The inner end of each rod is enlarged in diameter forming ashoulder 11, and the enlarged portion is hollow constituting a sleeve 12which telescopes over a similar sleeve 13 secured to an inner transversewall or partition 1 1 formed in thehousing 10.

15 indicates the spring which is arranged within the telescopic members12 and 13. The aperture 16 in each end of the housing and through whichthe rods extend, are

made of suflicient diameter to accommodate the enlarged portion 12 whenprojected therethrough.

17 indicates slides arranged within the housing and preferably againstthe inner face of the end walls 10 thereof. The slides comprisevertically disposed plates apertured to receive the rod. The aperturecomprises a slot 18 which is of but sufficient width to receive the rodportion 6, and a preferably circular extension 19 of sufficient size topermit the portion 12 to pass freely therethrough. The slides arenormally held in posit-ion to register the portion 18 of the aperturewith the hole 16, in which case the shoulders 11 abut the walls of theaperture or slot 18, thus holding the rods in retracted position againstthe tension of the springs. By moving the slides 17 until the portion 19of the aperture registers with the aperture 16, the rods are releasedand shoved outwardly, the portion 8 pushing the trace from the pin 4 onthe swingle-tree. The slides are connected by a yoke 20 between which,and the rear wall 10 of the housing, are arranged springs 21 whichnormally hold the plates or slides 17 in position to hold the rods inretracted position.

22 indicates a stem extending from the yoke and to the end of which, issecured a flexible member 23 such as a cord or chain. The member 23extends to the dashboard or other convenient place within reach of thedriver. It is evident that by pulling on the member 23, the traces willbe readily and quickly detached from the swingletree. To prevent themember 23 from being accidentally actuated, it is passed through aflexible tube 24 which is secured at one end 25 to the housing, and atthe other end 26 to the dashboard or other suitable place on a car riageor wagon. The stem 22 extends through a sleeve 27 upon the rear facewall of the housing, and to the sleeve 27 is secured a sleeve 28 oflarger diameter, in which the end 29 of the stem reciprocates. Thesleeve 28 is of sufficient length to pre vent bending of the tube 24from interfering with the operation of the stem.

Secured to the end of the rod 6 is a sleeve 30 in which is slidablymounted the rod 31 parallel wit-h the rod 6. The rod 31 is provided witha reduced extension 32 forming a shoulder 33 and. a head 34 upon theopposite end. The outer end of the rod or the portion 32 thereof, isbent downwardly as at 35, and the end of the portion 35 is notched orbifurcated as at 36 to receive the end of the pin 4. The portion 35 isarranged outside of the trace tug and prevents accidental displacementthereof.

37 indicates a spring latch on the sleeve 30 for engaging the shoulder33 and normally holding the portion 35 in position to lock the tug uponthe pin, however it is desirable in hitching and unhitching to be ableto place the tug upon, or remove it from the pin, without actuating therod 6, and it is to this end, that the rod 31 is slidably mounted uponthe rod 6, the head 34 limiting its outward movement.

The rod 6 with its portion 8 is normally held in retracted position inhitching or un hitching, and the rod 31 is extended as shown in dottedlines in Fig. 5 which permits the tug to be freely placed upon orremoved from the pin 4 of the swingle-tree. After the tug is in positionon the pin, the rod 31 is shoved inwardly, the latch holding it inretracted position, and the portion 35 locking the tug upon the pin. Incase of a runaway when the rods 6 are extended, to shove the trace fromthe swingle-tree, the rod 31 is moved simultaneously therewith into theposition shown in Fig. 6. The outward movement of the rod 6 is limitedby the inner end 7 of the sleeve 7 which forms a stop against which theshoulder 11 abuts.

The hold-back strap 38 and the belly band 39 are connected to loops oreyes 40-41 respectively formed on a sleeve 42. The sleeve 42 is slidablymounted on the shafts 1 which are preferably straight, and the backwardpull thereon is received by a lug 43 secured to the underface of theshaft and against which the sleeve 42 abuts. When the traces arereleased to detach the horse, the sleeves 42 slip freely from the shaftscompletely detaching the horse from the vehicle.

Having described my invention What I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the class described, a swingle-tree having straightpins extending from the ends thereof to receive the trace tugs, a pairof rods slidably mounted on said swingle-tree and having their outerends bent to extend between the ends of the swingle-tree and the tracetugs, a shoulder formed upon the inner end of each of said rods, springsarranged behind said shoulders and adapted to shove said rod outwardlyto disengage the tugs from their respective pins, slides adapted toengage said shoulders to hold the rods in retracted position and meansfor retracting said slides to release said rods, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a device of the class described, a swingle-tree having straightpins extending from the ends thereof to receive the trace tugs, a pairof rods slidably mounted on said swingle-tree and having their outerends bent to extend between the ends of the swingle-tree and therespective tugs, means for moving said rods outwardly, means fornormally holding the same in retracted position, and means slidablyarranged upon the end of each of said rods for normally locking the tugsupon their respective pins, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, a swingle-tree havlng straightpins extending from the ends thereof to recelve the trace tugs, a pairof rods slidably mounted on said swingle-tree and having their outerends bent to extend between the outer ends of the swingle-tree andhaving their outer ends for moving said rods outwardly, means fornormally holding the same in retracted position, and means slidablymounted on the end of said rods adapted in one position to lock thetrace tug upon its respective pin and in another to permit removal ofthe same therefrom or attachment thereto without moving said rods,substantially as described.

4:. In a device of the class described, a swingle tree having straightpins extending from the ends thereof to receive the trace tugs, a pairof rods slidably mounted on said swingle tree and having their ends bentto extend between the outer ends of the swingle tree and the respectivetugs, means for moving said rods outwardly, a sleeve arranged adjacentto the end of each of said rods and fixed thereto, a rod slidablymounted therein and having its outer end bent downwardly to hold the tugupon the pin when in one position and to permit removal of the samtherefrom when in another position, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, a

swingle tree having straight pins extending from the ends thereof toreceive the trace tugs, a pair of rods slidably mounted on said swingletree and having their ends bent to extend between the outer ends of theswingle tree and the respective tugs, means for moving said rodsoutwardly, a sleeve fixed to each of said rods, a rod slidably mountedin each of said sleeves and having its outer end bent downwardly to holdthe tug upon the respective pin when in one position and to permitremoval of the same therefrom when in another position, and a springlatch adapted to normally hold the last said rods in locking position,substantially as de scribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EARL E. SANDERS. l/Vitnesses:

Gno. RUsroN, A. H. MILLER.

